1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to embroidery machines and in particular to an improved attachment for embroidering hats and caps.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A typical embroidery machine has one or more heads for performing monogramming and making patches. The head is fixed to a frame and is stationary. A saddle extends from the frame outward directly below the head, the saddle containing a bobbin. The head contains needles with different colors of thread for stitching a workpiece located between the saddle and the head.
The workpiece will be moved as the embroidery occurs, with the head and saddle being stationary. The movement of the workpiece is handled by a carriage which moves back and forth parallel to the axis of the saddle in response to commands from a computer. The carriage has a belt that moves directions perpendicular to the carriage in response to commands from the computer. The workpiece will be secured to the belt by an attachment so that it can be moved with the carriage and the belt. One attachment comprises a hoop which is used for making patches and embroidering jackets and other fabrics that can be readily stretched flat within a frame of a hoop. Another attachment is used for embroidering caps, which cannot be readily stretched flat by a hoop. The term "cap" as used herein refers to all headgear on which embroidering is performed, including certain hats.
The cap attachment includes an arm that attaches to the belt and extends forward from the carriage. A cap driver is located over the saddle and is connected by a brace to the carriage. The cap driver is an assembly which includes a base which moves in unison with the carriage. The cap driver also includes an arcuate member which is pivotally rotatable relative to the carriage about an axis parallel to the saddle axis. A linkage member connects between the arm, which is attached to the belt, and the arcuate member. Movement of the belt perpendicular to the saddle axis causes the arcuate member to pivot rotatably about an axis parallel to the saddle axis.
A cap is clamped into a cap retainer and releasably fastened to the arcuate member of the driver. The cap retainer is a metal framework that fits over the free end of the saddle. The framework of the retainer positions a forward portion of the body of the cap in an arcuate position over the saddle. The carriage and belt move the cap driver and cap retainer to embroider the forward portion of the body of the cap.
While this type of attachment is workable, the passage of the needles into and out of the cap fabric creates upward and downward forces on the cap retainer. The cap driver is connected to the machine only by a cantilevered brace to the carriage and thus is unable to completely restrain the cap retainer from all upward and downward movement. The upward and downward movement tends to make it more difficult to achieve preciseness in the embroidery work.